How do you give hay?

1468 Views 14 Replies 8 Participants Last post by kbluebkeman, Aug 31, 2013

georgiagirl98

Discussion Starter · Aug 20, 2013

Do yall use rolls or square bales? Say one goat got one square bale, about how long would it last? We always get a roll and leave it with the horses in there field, then fill up 3, 5 gallon buckets with hay and leave it under the goat shelter for them.

But of course them being goats they like to tip it over. And I've heard of them getting their necks caught in some hay feeders so i thought about just making my own. I was thinking 1ft off the ground, plywood bottom and top with a door on top, with little bars about an inch or 2 apart around the sides, with bigger posts in the corners? I might put plywood on one or two of the sides so i can push it up against the wall and hay wont fall out. How do yall think that would work before i attempt to build it? Lol.

Anything i should change? It would stay under the shelter so it won't need to be rain resistant.

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MsScamp

· #2 · Aug 21, 2013 (Edited)

I generally feed off of 3 X 3 X 8 square bales, but I have been known to sneak into the hay shed and snag small squares on occasion (and when Dad isn't looking, as he hates baling small squares). I know what each flake weighs, and I feed the appropriate number of flakes to equal 5 lbs/adult doe in each pen. I use regular horse hay/grain combo feeders. If you do a search on this forum you will find a lot of home made hay feeders to choose from.

PS. We had a few weedy grass bales and put one of them in one of the pens to use as bedding under the shed. It weighed roughly 850 lbs, and 21 does + 1 buck ate it in roughly 4-5 days - possibly 6. We have been busy enough that I can't remember when they finished it.

sokoservices

· #3 · Aug 21, 2013

Here is the one I built, Very easy... and the goats love it.

See less See more

toth boer goats

· #4 · Aug 22, 2013

I buy bales of hay and feed off some.

georgiagirl98

Discussion Starter · #5 · Aug 22, 2013

Thanks,

i think ill make one kinda like that pic but with a lid and smaller holes. I dont think i put it earlier but i only have 7 goats. 4 does, 2 doe kids, and a buckling, and i might be selling 2 so i won't need very much.

What kind of hay would be best? Alfalfa here is $17 for a square bale which is a little crazy and only tractor supply sales it. Then some local farmers sale it but we have to switch up a lot because they keep most of it for their horses and only sale a few bales, and its regular grass horse quality hay for $40 for a round bale. The round bales are alot cheaper and easier to feed both the horses and the goats with. But I've read on here a lot about alfalfa being the best for them. What is yalls opinion? Is there that big of a difference between the 2? Thank you for the help.

Goats Rock

· #6 · Aug 22, 2013

We have hardly any alfalfa around here, and what there is costs way too much for 23 goats. So, I just use good 2nd cutting grass hay and
mix alfalfa pellets with the grain that I feed to the lactating or preg. does. Everyone is healthy etc. (except for the one goat that picked up a cold at the county fair...)

georgiagirl98

Discussion Starter · #7 · Aug 22, 2013

Ok

im feeding alfalfa with their feed anyway but wasn't really sure if it had the same stuff in it. If their isn't a big difference ill stick with grass hay. Thank you.

MsScamp

· #8 · Aug 22, 2013

Alfalfa pellets should be made out of straight alfalfa hay.

toth boer goats

· #9 · Aug 22, 2013

Yep Alfalfa

groovyoldlady

· #10 · Aug 22, 2013

Mine isn't alfalfa, but it is good quality grass hay in rectangular bales. I offer it free choice (a few flakes at a time) all day and all night because my goats don't get any pasture time. I built both our indoor and our outdoor feeders with my hubby's help. Neither is stunningly beautiful, but they both get the job done. My outdoor one looks similar to sokoservices'.

MsScamp

· #11 · Aug 23, 2013

Who cares what it looks like as long as it gets the job done!

georgiagirl98

Discussion Starter · #12 · Aug 23, 2013

Thank you guys

I have 2 does that wont eat hay? If i put them in a dry lot for a few days and leave hay in there with them will they learn to eat it. Or should i not worry about it and just let them graze? I thought if i cut down on their grazing then the worms will go down and it will be easier to feed them in winter when they have to eat hay.

georgiagirl98

Discussion Starter · #13 · Aug 31, 2013

Ok so next problem.... How do you feed yalls loose minerals? I have it in one of those hanging troughs on the gate but its too big and i have to change it out if it rains and i forget to bring it in. So i thought about putting it in there barn but they are in there so much they will probably get bored and stand in it haha. Im thinking of making a little box or something so they can't waist it. Any ideas? How do yall do it?

ksalvagno

· #14 · Aug 31, 2013

When there is no graze, they will eat hay.

I use the little 2 dish mineral feeder that you can put on a wall. But my minerals are in the barn.

kbluebkeman

· #15 · Aug 31, 2013

Dragonfly has a great PVC minerals feeder that works great for outdoors.......scroll down to the bottom of their home page and you will find the link which will take you to a set of plans......

http://www.dragonfly.jmkarohl.com/index.html

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